Catapults – Beware Castles and Cars

In my latest novel, Betrayal of the Covenant, the catapult plays an important role in an attack on Tierran’s Wall, an impregnable barrier between the north and south. A wall that is the key to winning back the entire island country of Taran.

Some folks have wondered how a catapult, also called a trebuchet or mangonel, could possibly damage stone walls a 120-feet high and 25-feet thick, that have stood for over a thousand years.

Well, I tell them that a large trebuchet could throw a 220 pound projectile up to 980 feet at the enemy. There were a few monster catapults that could throw even bigger objects a longer distance.

As machine guns, cannons, and aircraft were brought into war, the catapult was still in use as late as World War 1. Both sides had built trenches with a no-mans land sometimes hundreds of yards apart. It was hard to harass the enemy when they were dug down that far away. Along came the catapult. Small versions of the giant device were used to launch grenades across into the enemy’s trenches. These gave way later to the mortar

Catapults are even in use today – slingshots.

But don’t take my word for how powerful these weapons can be – the ingenuity of modern man has demonstrated this for me. See this YouTube video.

Can you imagine being a defender, standing atop the wall of your castle, and a Volvo came flying out of the sky. I think the flaming piano was a nice touch.

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Fantastic and Original Story!

I found this book fantastic. Compelling and original storyline. The author layered a solid fictional history, deep character development, and exciting action into what I hope will become the foundation of an epic series. I Continue Reading

Peter Cruikshank’s Fire of the Covenant (Dragon called legend, book 1) is an outstanding debut novel that is sure to appeal to epic fantasy lovers of all ages. It’s the story of Princess Willoe – Continue Reading

As intricately woven as Martin’s “Game of Thrones” and mystically enchanting as Rawling’s “Harry Potter”, Peter Cruikshank’s first novel is an amazing read. His style is so clear and the characters so real that I Continue Reading

A very well-paced medieval fantasy. Complicated, well developed characters. A coming of age story that focus around the characters destinies. The world was well built and believable. Grand adventure, intrigue, magic, and secrets. It held Continue Reading

This book is well-written with likable and well-developed characters. The action is believable and exciting, and even the fantastical seems possible in this world. The maps provide guidance and realism as characters travel place to Continue Reading

Having read the first book, I was very excited for the second. I was a bit impatient, but it was well worth the wait. The transition from first to second book was flawless. Although, I’ve Continue Reading

When I finished the book, I immediately emailed the author and asked for more. This book was well written. My rating would be a WOW. The characters were believable in a fantacy word. As an Continue Reading

This is an engaging medieval fantasy novel well worth your time. “Fire of the Covenant” manages to go in unexpected directions while still hitting all the expected fantasy elements from wizards and dwarfs and dragons Continue Reading